The Man Nobody Knows

Bruce Fairchild Barton (1886-1967) was an American author, advertising executive, and politician. He was raised in Oak Park, Illinois as the son of a Congregational clergyman. Barton was employed as a publicist and magazine editor prior to co-founding an advertising agency in 1919, which eventually merged to become Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn (BBDO). Barton developed BBDO into the one of the 20th century’s most powerful agencies, creating the character of Betty Crocker and naming General Motors, as well as General Electric. He also represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving two terms (1937 to 1941).

As a prolific author, Barton offered advice in syndicated newspaper columns and magazine articles for achieving his version of the American Dream, combining his small-town boyhood with Christian beliefs and admiration of particular business leaders. The Man Nobody Knows (1925) was Barton’s best-selling book, presenting a revised picture of Jesus as a healthy, outdoor man and strong executive, appealing to the American businessman of the 1920s. Barton also received criticism and ridicule for his characterization of Jesus as “the founder of modern business” who communicated through his influential advertisements.